Daylight Saving Time

Time to change those clocks again — tomorrow morning, at 2:00 a.m., daylight saving time begins. If you're in the US (with the exception of Hawaii and Arizona), that means you'll move your clocks ahead one hour. And while losing an hour of sleep is never fun, gaining an extra hour of light at the end of the day is a welcome change. Here, five ways to help your kids adjust to daylight saving time (and enjoy their extra hour of playtime!)

• Explain What's Happening: The reason daylight saving always falls on a Sunday is to give us a day to adjust to the time change on the weekend, as opposed to during the busy school/work week. Explain to them why they may feel more tired than usual, but be sure to take advantage of the extra hour at the end of the day. Invite them to join you on a tour of your home as you adjust all of your clocks. Be sure to double-check that computers and cell phones have changed automatically.
• Explain Why It's Happening: According to Discovery News, Benjamin Franklin was among the first to suggest the concept of daylight saving back in 1784 (he thought it would be a good way to save on candles). In more recent years, changing the clocks has proven to save on electric usage across the country, and has even led to a decrease in car crashes.
• Enjoy Some Extra Outdoor Play: Depending on where you live, it may or may not feel like Spring. Regardless, take advantage of the sunlight and encourage your kiddos to play outdoors before or after dinner (even if it means having to bundle up!)
• Take a Family Walk: Working parents are often especially appreciative of the extra hour of daylight, as it offers a great opportunity to spend some extra time together as a family. Enjoy a walk around your neighborhood before the sun goes down.
• Hit the Books: If the time change means that your kids aren't tired at their normal bedtime, wind down the day with an extra 15-30 minutes of story time before bed.

This weekend marks the beginning of daylight saving time, when we jump forward an hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10. The good news is that we have a day to acclimate to the change before the start of the workweek, but the bad news is that our internal clock may not be as easy to reset as the ones on our computers and phones. In fact, many sleep experts say that losing that hour of sleep because of DST can affect us for around 48 hours, meaning come Monday, you may be dreaming of resting your head on your keyboard for a quick nap. To prevent a groggy, irritable Monday, here are some tips for dealing with DST.

• Time to change your habits: A post-DST hangover-like feeling can be all you need to realize that your sleeping habits in general need a change. Things like establishing a bedtime routine and regular bedtime and not using the snooze button can all help you get more quality sleep. Here are more expert ways to change your sleep habits for the better.
• Start preparing: Going to sleep and waking up 30 minutes earlier over the weekend and taking a nap on Sunday can both prepare you for that early-morning jolt come Monday. Once you wake up over the weekend, try to get some sunlight as soon as possible for extra energy, says sleep expert Dr. Vivek Jain.
• Take a hot shower at night: Jain also recommends taking a hot shower before bed and then getting into a cool bed. That ritual will mimic the day-to-night process, which "may help guide you to sleep."

How will you deal with losing an hour this weekend?

It's that time of the year to "spring ahead!" Although you'll set your clocks ahead and lose an hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 11, you'll be gaining an extra hour of sunshine in the evening. That means if you couldn't pull yourself out of bed for morning workouts in the Fall and Winter (when the mornings were brightest), you can now shift your workouts to the early evening, when it'll still be light enough to walk, hike, bike, or run outside.

On Sunday night, celebrate the first day of daylight saving time with an outdoor evening workout. Take a bike ride in the park, go for a run with your dog around the neighborhood, or do some yoga on your back deck. It'll feel good to expose yourself to fresh air and all-natural vitamin D, and it's a great way to celebrate the coming of Spring. An evening workout will also tire you out, helping you fall asleep later that night.

Are you excited about having an extra hour of daylight in the evenings, or are you bummed because you're a morning exerciser?

It's that time of year again, when we "fall back," and turn our clocks back one hour. I love adding 60 minutes to my Sunday, so make the most of it — don't just go about your day as usual. My advice is to wake up in the morning when you normally would and spend your freebie hour working out. Gone is your excuse about not having enough time to exercise. Check out how many calories you'll burn sweating it out for an hour.

• Cardio kickboxing class: 597 calories*
• Cycling at a moderate pace (14 to 15.9 mph): 540 calories
• Elliptical: 486 calories
• Hiking: 387 calories
• Mowing the lawn: 243 calories
• Raking leaves: 216 calories
• Pilates: 144 calories
• Running at a 10-minute-per-mile pace (6 mph): 540 calories
• Soccer: 378 calories
• Spin class: 413 calories
• Strength training (vigorous): 359 calories
• Swimming: 594 calories
• Walking at a 15-minute-per-mile pace (4 mph): 243 calories
• Yoga class (fast-paced): 403 calories

Don't forget to change your clocks before you go to bed tonight. Daylight saving time officially ends at 2 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011. Enjoy your hour!

*All calculations are based on a 130-pound woman.

Another reason to celebrate this weekend: daylight saving ends this Sunday at 2 a.m. This means we'll all be getting one more glorious hour of sleep.

Not everyone in the US has to change their clocks — Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and most of Arizona don't observe daylight savings, according to The California Energy Commission. If you ever wonder why we started implementing this policy, experts used to say that it conserves energy. However, new studies have found that this may not be the case. So what are we doing all this for? Well, that's because it's a government policy that won't be updated until conclusive evidence has been proven. Meanwhile, we'll just have to bear the burden of daylight saving from March to November each year.

So remember, set back your clocks back an hour today before you go to bed. What are you going to do with the extra hour?

When we fall back an hour Sunday we might also descend into a grumpy mood. While we gain an extra hour of sleep, the time change messes with our internal clock, leading to poor sleep, decreased energy, and depression.

Dr. John Sharp, the author of The Emotional Calendar: Understanding Seasonal Influences and Milestones to Become Happier, More Fulfilled, and in Control of Your Life, says the key to seasonal happiness is embracing this time of year. He explains: "Instead of using the fact that it's dark out in the evening to hide under your covers wishing it was April, embrace the change and find autumnal things that make you happy, like getting cozy by the fireplace and eating soup."

You have two days to prepare. How will you embrace the darker, colder season?

As you know, daylight saving time begins tomorrow at 2 a.m., so you should move your clocks one hour ahead then. But before you go skipping away with all of your new sunlight, there's another task at hand: change the batteries on your smoke detector. You should do so at least twice a year, so it's best to just get in the habit of doing it when you change your clocks. Another thing to do this weekend is flip your mattress. To keep the wear even, you should flip your mattress both ways at least twice a year — and vacuum it while you're at it. That way, you won't have to worry about when you did either task last!

It's that time of year again, where we "fall back," and turn our clocks back one hour. I love gaining an extra hour this one time of the year, so make the most of it. Don't just go through your day as usual, because you'll never even realize you received that extra 60 minutes.

Since most people complain that they don't have time to exercise, my advice is to get up in the morning when you normally do, and spend your freebie hour working out. It's a great habit to get into, especially if you love exercising outdoors. Mornings will be brighter, so it's safer to exercise before work, since it'll most likely be dark by the time you get home. Here are some ways to sweat it out for an hour:

• Call a friend and go on a long, brisk walk. You'll burn 236 calories.
• Pick up the pace and go on a relaxing run. An hour burns 473 calories.
• Hit a mountain trail. An hour-long hike burns 355 calories.
• Hop on your bike and tour a new spot in your neighborhood. After an hour, you'll have burned 473 calories.
• Do a strength-training session and burn 177 calories after an hour.
• Take a heart-pumping cardio class at your gym. You'll burn an astounding 414 calories.

Don't forget to change your clocks before you go to bed tonight. Daylight saving time officially ends at 2 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 1. Enjoy your hour!